Could this be the beginning of Dino Dumpster time? Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter will challenge Blanche Lincoln in the primary. 😀
A labor source confirmed to TPMDC tonight that the AFL-CIO voted to back new Senate candidate Lt. Gov Bill Halter over Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the May 18 Democratic primary in Arkansas. Three unions within the umbrella group have committed to a $3 million independent expenditure on Halter’s behalf.
In the day since he officially announced his intention to take on Lincoln in the primary, Halter has lined up the support from Democratic base groups, including progressive groups MoveOn.org and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Those two, among others, raised nearly $500,000 for Halter from progressives across the country in less than 24 hours.
Lincoln still enjoys the support of at least one prominent national progressive though. The White House says President Obama backs Lincoln as he would any Democratic incumbent.
The backing of the AFL-CIO is an important one for any Democrat. For Halter, it signals that the unions are prepared to put their money where their mouth has been for almost a year now when it comes to Lincoln. When Lincoln came out against the "card check" provision in the Employee Free Choice Act, unions balked and threatened to fight her. Now it seems Halter has given them their chance.
Halter now adds the AFL-CIO’s significant support to efforts on his behalf from grassroots progressive groups, which have publicly claimed some of the credit for Halter’s decision to run today. Ben Tribbett, executive director of the progressive PAC Accountability Now and an organizer of the online campaign to draft Halter into the race, promised today that his group’s efforts to help Halter will continue…
Inserted from <TPM>
I understand Obama’s policy to back incumbent Democrats. Were to support Halter at this point, he would have zero chance of influencing her vote on key issues. He can hold his continues support over her head. So lets not view his pragmatism as betrayal. If Halter wins the primary, he’ll jump right in.
I continue to see overcoming right wing insanity as a two-step process. The first priority must be ridding our nation’s infestation of GOP alligators. The second is draining the Democratic swamp. We may get some drainage ahead of schedule.
Bold Progressives has a fundraising drive, asking $5.00 donations for Halter. Here’s their video:
I choose not to pump readers for money. If you think it’s worth it, click here.
4 Responses to “Bill Halter for Senate!”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Buh bye Blanche.
Let it be!
But could Bill Halter get elected? I don’t know much about Halter or Blanche Lincoln or Arkansas politics. But the Democrats have to be careful not to do what Republicans are doing in their own party. It feels good to get those DINOs and Blue Dogs out of there, but we don’t want to be handing their seats to a Republican. It’s great to see the Republican Party get torn to shreds as the teabirthers and the RINIOs go after each other’s throats. But I don’t want the same thing to happen to the Democrats.
Tom, your point is a good one, but I don’t think it applies in this case. Lincoln has seven potential GOP opponents. In the polls, she is one point up on the weakest. The second weakest is 6 points up on her. The other five range from 10 to 23 points up on her. In short, she’s so far behind that she’s no match for the GOP field. If the DINO is going to lose anyway, the progressive is the clear choice.